Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Takumi’s Strength

“Rather than that, Takumi-san! You went into the Gaya Forest?”

“Eh?”

“What’s going on!!”

“... Yes. There were medicinal plants I needed.”

What an amazingly angry look......

Gaya Forest...... was there such settings?

“Is the reason you asked about the materials at hand when you came first to the Guild possibly...”

Ah, she noticed. Luna-san, you remember it...

“Do you have them?”

“.........”

What to do?

Luna-san is staring at me with great vigor. No...... no those are eyes looking at a prey......

“You have them, right? ...... Right?”

“...... Yes.”

Chills ran through my back for some reason.

In the end, I was completely defeated by Luna-san’s insight.

Therefore, I decided to sell the materials I obtained in Gaya Forest.

As expected, because a number of days passed since then, I keep silent about the materials in the Infinite Storage and decided to sell only the one processed Red Wolf’s magic stone, fur, claws, fangs, and medicinal plants and fruits.

There wasn’t much, but Guild staff including Luna-san were overjoyed.

There are many calm zones in the outskirts of Shirin except Gaya Forest. The security is tight, the flow of people is high because the town is near the borders, but there doesn’t seem to be many veteran adventurers.

There are only a few adventurers who recently went to Gaya Forest so the stock of advanced materials significantly decreased, Luna-san earnestly explained.

“Which reminds me, Wald-sama. Didn’t you come to talk with Guild Master?”

“Yeah, regarding an expedition. We periodically go to the Gaya Forest to thin out the monsters. If left alone, the monsters would start pouring out which would be really troubling.”

“Is it a joint expedition of knights and high ranked adventures?”

“Yeah. The number of people I can take is limited because I can’t take everyone along. If I don’t go into the depths, I won’t have enough people.”

“It’s an A-Rank forest, after all~”

“Because of that, Takumi. You are participating.”

Haa? What are you talking about?

“Nono, I’m an F-Rank, you know!?”

“If you are able to go alone and defeat a Red Wolf there are no problems, right?”

“.........”

Crap, I made a mistake. I shouldn’t take out the Red Wolf materials!

“Oh, it looks that Guild Master is free now. I will make an official request later, don’t run away.”

“Wa, wait!”

Saying just that, Wald-sama walks into the Guild Master’s office.

“......... I can reject a designated request, right?”

I ask Luna-san after a while of silence.

“It’s not impossible. But, when it comes to an official request from the Knights, it becomes a request of the country so......”

Why did your voice become cloudy in the end!? Please confirm that I can decline!

Why did it become like this? Where did I make a mistake?

Where? I did take out the Red Wolf materials, right......

Uwaa, it’s my fault! Aah, geez...

“Anyway, I’m going home for today......”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

“Allen, Elena. We are leaving~”

I lift the two who are still uneasy and leave towards the inn.

◆ ◆ ◆

――Inside the Guild Master’s office.

“Ruven-dono, sorry for the wait.”

The one greeting is a grizzled elderly man. This man is precisely the Guild Master of Guardia’s Shirin Adventurer’s Guild branch.

“No problem. It’s I who should apologize for coming during busy times.”

Grunwald sits on a sofa, facing the Guild Master. A female staff member puts a cup of tea in front of them, she then bows and quietly leaves the room.

“Nono. Are you here today regarding the subjugation expedition to Gaya Forest?”

“That’s right. As usual, I will leave the arrangements of adventures to you. The time planned is at the beginning of the Fourth Month for one week.”

“I understand. I will prepare the request immediately.”

“Ah, in addition, please include a nomination for a person named Takumi Kayano this time.”

“Takumi Kayano... is it? I’m not familiar with that name, but...”

The business advanced smoothly as usual. But, Grunwald had one more request that is different from the usual.

Grunwald smiled at the Guild Master with a mysterious grin.

“He’s an F Rank newcomer who has registered to the Guild just recently. It’s only natural that the Guild Master doesn’t know of him.”

“You want to include a new adventurer to the expedition to Gaya Forest?”

“Although a newcomer, he’s no amateur.”

Grunwald recalls the moment Takumi came to the town for the first time and another meeting from today.

He’s an ordinary youth at glance. But, he perceived an extraordinary presence from that youth. It was only his intuition as an experienced fighter, though.

“He caught your eyes, is what you are saying?”

“I’m interested a bit. Therefore, three parties as usual plus one, please.”

Besides, the children that are with the youth. They are no ordinary children.

Although he didn’t see it directly, according to the people who saw, those children destroyed a giant man in an instant.

That was enough for Grunwald to show interest.

Incorporating them into a party made of A Rank and B Rank adventurers...

The subjugation expedition in Gaya Forest that Grunwald always considered troublesome. He can’t help it, but to look forward to the due date this time. That is the face Grunwald is making.

◆ ◆ ◆

Later, an official request from the Knights arrived.

The designated request with all the details was handed to me by Luna-san.

Nono, please don’t look at me with that smile!

I will decline...... eh? To decline, I have to go directly to the Knights? No way... that’s impossible...... I understand. I will start preparing...

Eh? Please bring a lot of advanced materials, you say...... Luna-san......